BY SHARON SIBIND

THE National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) in Bulawayo is in May set to host its first-ever digital arts exhibition in partnership with Arebyte Gallery in London, supported by the British Council Southern Africa Arts.

NGZ Bulawayo director Butholezwe Nyathi told NewsDay Life & Style yesterday that the exhibition was in line with the digitalisation of technology policy adopted globally.

“We look forward to May 2020 when we launch the gallery’s first-ever exclusive digital arts exhibition titled PowerPlay. The group exhibition features artists working with digital media, video and technology,” Nyathi said.

He said the exhibition will discuss the use of technology in creating a sense of identity and place.

“Taking place both online and offline, the multi-sited exhibition format interrogates the juxtaposition between the virtual and the real. We are trying to respond to the fourth industrial revolution which other galleries have responded to,” he said.

“Expression has evolved from oil canvas to digital art expression. It will be a travelling exhibition. After Bulawayo, it will go to NGZ in Harare and Mutare.”

Nyathi said the exhibition champions digital artists from or based in Nigeria (Color, Tito Aderemi Ibitola), South Africa (Vincent Bezuidenhout, Scumboy, King Debs), Zimbabwe (Mbakisi Sibanda, Kumbirai Makumbe), Kenya (Isaac Kariuki) and the UK (Dani Ploeger, Christopher MacInnes).

Guest Column: Paidamoyo Muzulu

WHILE the citizens are glued to the ongoing circus in Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s messy divorce, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Cabinet have decided to sneak in a sinister constitutional amendment aimed at emasculating Parliament’s oversight role on debt.

Since the gazetting of Constitution Amendment Bill No 2 Bill in December and more recently this month, Zimbabweans’ attention has been grabbed by Chiwenga’s divorce that is saying a lot about the political elites shenanigans against the people.

We have heard the salacious details of how business mogul, Kuda Tagwirei, has managed to have the ear of the top leaders and possibly having his deals with the State fasttracked and paid for in advance. Our leaders love to roll in the latest Toyota Lexuses, with all the modern gizmos.

Meanwhile, tucked in the omnibus Constitution Amendment Bill is a castration of Parliaments’s role in approving the Executive’s contraction of sovereign debt.
The Executive never wants to account about where they are getting money and on what terms, particularly if the loans are coming from bilateral institutions.

The Constitution, as it stands, in section 327(2) is clear that international treaties do not bind Zimbabwe until they have been approved by Parliament.
Section 327(3) of the Constitution goes further and states that agreements which are concluded with “foreign organisations or entities” and which impose fiscal obligations on Zimbabwe do not bind Zimbabwe until they have been approved by Parliament.

Clause 23 of the Bill proposes to alter section 327(3) of the Constitution so that it only applies to agreements entered into with “international organisations” such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank whose members include foreign States.

Section 327(3) will no longer apply to agreements with foreign banks or similar non-State institutions even if the agreements impose fiscal obligations on Zimbabwe.

It is, therefore, very clear that the intention of the amendment will take away Parliament’s powers to approve loan agreements with such non-State institutions. This is not only bad for the country and the taxpayers, but increases the chances of rogue public officials making deals that give them benefits without the people knowing, yet the citizens and other taxpayers are still expected to repay the debts.

This development only goes to show the level of disdain President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime has for the people. The development is not new per se, as Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s 2019 budget revealed that government borrowed nearly US$10 billion between 2015 and 2018 without presenting the debts to Parliament for ratification. It should be noted that nearly 50% of that new debt was contracted after the November 2017 coup against the late President Robert Mugabe.

In that vein, it becomes clear that Mnangagwa is against accountability and transparency; and, therefore, he is tired of being made to account, hence making the nefarious amendment that has no history in constitutional democracies. It is apparent that Mnangagwa wants to take us back to feudalism and he being the Lord of the manor taking no questions from minions.

Mnangagwa wants to remove section 327 of the Constitution that curbs government’s profligacy by giving Parliament the right to approve or to veto agreements that might increase Zimbabwe’s foreign debt. In other words, he wants to borrow without accountability — taking us back to the era where the government borrowed without limit.

Veritas, a parliamentary monitoring group, aptly captures it when it says: “To amend section 327 so as to remove or reduce Parliament’s powers will be utterly pernicious and will encourage a return to reckless spending by the government, mortgaging the birthright of future generations.”

There are many things that the Bill gets wrong, but this goes to the heart of parliamentary democracy. Parliamentary democracy was born out of the need to walk away from the shackles of unaccountable monarchies and the rallying cry was, “no taxation without representation”.

It is the duty of all men and women, particularly men and women of honour in the august House and civil society to defend the citizens against this flagrant abuse of power. Moreover, if there is any other power that Parliament enjoys in all parliamentary democracies it is the power of the purse — to approve taxation and expenditure in each financial year. And this is the very same power the amendment seeks to curtail.

The November 2017 coup may have in many ways eroded our democracy, but this new amendment to emasculate the powers of Parliament in debt contraction is worse than a coup. It makes the taxpayer and citizens slaves of the Executive who repay the debts without knowing in the first instance how the loans were acquired, on what terms and most likely what they were used for.

It may be time that a line on the power the Executive wields should be seriously considered and where possible neutered. Zimbabwe is for us all and transparency and accountability in the name of good governance should be observed.

Paidamoyo Muzulu is a journalist and writes here in his personal capacity. He can be contacted on muzulu.p@gmail.com

Editorial Comment

AN ordinary civil servant, working in the country’s outback, who masters the courage to stand up and speak truth to power must be roundly applauded, given that it has become taboo and dangerous for citizens to simply air their grievances.

Government and private sector workers are currently wallowing in abject poverty, while at the same time they are not being allowed to demand better remuneration and decent working conditions by a government that seems to have run out of ideas on how to steer troubled Zimbabwe out of a debilitating economic quagmire that has seen every worker declaring incapacitation.

Currently, the government has slammed the brakes on the money printing press, ostensibly to slow down inflation. This has meant that workers’ salaries have remained stagnant — while they are actually depreciating in real terms —at a time the very inflation that government seeks to control is running riot.

And so it must have come as a big surprise to the powers-that-be when an unassuming rural teacher from Beitbridge’s outback knelt in front of Vice-President Kembo Mohadi and pleaded thus: “I have a request Vice-President Mohadi; I am going to kneel down to drive home this important message to you. We are suffering and life has become hard and can you please put word for us so we can have a salary raise.”

This has been the very same message that the teacher’s unions have been delivering to government to no avail. Some of the union leaders have instead been hounded, abducted, tortured and threatened with death for merely demanding better salaries, given the misery they are being forced to endure, owing to the poor salaries that were long-mauled to rags by inflation now unofficially said to be over 500%.

We just hope this innocent and genuinely suffering and hapless Beitbridge teacher will not be victimised for highlighting to Mohadi and the powers-that-be what they already know.

While government recently offered a 97% salary hike for all civil servants, the Beitbridge teacher’s passionate plea simply points to the fact that the government offer is paltry.

Civil servants have been asking government to peg their previous US dollar salaries at the prevailing interbank rate in order for their wages to keep up with the galloping prices of basic goods and services.

But government has refused, yet its fees for services are pegged using the interbank rate, which has effectively exposed government’s hypocrisy and double standards.

It is, therefore, high time government honestly revisited the issue of civil servants’ pay cheques, with the view to ease tension between it and its workers.

Government’s continued insistence on providing a cushioning allowance will not serve the situation, we are afraid to say.

BY MTHANDAZO NYONI

THE mealie-meal situation in the country is set to stabilise in the next three to five weeks following millers’ intervention to import close to 100 000 tonnes of maize using their free funds, an official has said.

Speaking to journalists in Bulawayo yesterday, Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (Gmaz) chairman, Tafadzwa Musarara said improved supplies of maize would be noticed as from next week.

“You may recall that early December last year, Cabinet made a decision to allow millers and other players to bring in maize into the country using free funds. Since then up to now, I’m glad to advise that we have put mechanisms in place to have maize coming into the country,” Musarara said.

“This maize is very key to complement the quantities that are coming also from GMB (Grain Marketing Board). This private sector initiative is meant to complement government’s efforts of ensuring food security at household levels.”

Musarara said the country’s current maize demand, for commercial use, is 80 000 tonnes a month and they have signed up close to 100 000 tonnes of maize with 50 000 tonnes expected early next week.

“As grain millers association, we have aggregated our requirements and importing into the country the grain that we want starting next week using our free funds. We believe that as business the best way to kill that black market is flooding the market.”

“So with the maize imports that we are starting to receive next week, the situation, God willing, should stabilise in the next three to five weeks, but supplies will start to be noticed as from next week. The subsidy programme will also cover maize meal produced from imported maize,” he said.

“We had meetings with the Minister of Finance (Mthuli Ncube) last week and all is in place. We hope by the time the maize comes, the whole subsidy programme would have been reconfigured to cover for maize meal processed from imported maize.”

He said all maize meal would be sold through wholesalers and retailers.

Government is subsidising mealie-meal to ensure it remains affordable to the majority of Zimbabweans, but the facility is reportedly being abused by unscrupulous people who hoard and re-sell it for a profit on the black market.

Musarara said the subsidy programme, which started on a rocky note, had been fine-tuned.

“We are worried about the quantum of our products on the black market, especially here in Bulawayo and we are working with our colleagues.”

Speaking at the same event, Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president Denford Mutashu said going forward, the price of mealie-meal should be reviewed due to inflationary pressures.

“So far on roller meal, I think you are aware that it is being sold at $50, but again a process of re-engagement (is underway), especially given the fact that the operating environment has not been static as we would have anticipated,” he said.

“So our indication, thereof, is that the pricing has got to be reviewed time and again so that it is realistic and accommodates the other extra costs associated with running businesses.”

BY MTHANDAZO NYONI

ZIMBABWE will likely experience an upsurge in both legal and illicit imports of cheap poultry products if local feed producers continue failing to access adequate maize as well as soyabean meal, a new report has revealed.

A report compiled by the Livestock and Meat Advisory Council (LMAC) indicates that poultry farmers were struggling to access maize and soyameal.

“Statistics show limited importation of poultry products given the low local retail prices in US dollar terms. However, going forward, there is likely to be an upsurge in both legal and illicit imports of cheap poultry products if local feed producers fail to access adequate maize and soyabean meal that may force poultry farmers to curtail production,” the report reads in part.

Dwindling stocks of maize coupled with restrictions on maize purchases from farmers brought about by the promulgation of Statutory Instrument 145 of 2019 implies that the feed sector will need to import maize, which currently lands in the country at a price that is 36% higher than the current producer price.

“Without increases in consumer purchasing power, this will further erode the margins from poultry production during the fourth quarter,” it said.

“The reduced margins have already driven down the producer prices of both day-old chicks, broiler meat and table eggs to lower than prevailing prices in neighbouring countries in US dollar terms, prompting some breeders and farmers to explore export markets.”

LMAC said depreciation of the Zimbabwe dollar against the US dollar in the third quarter of 2019 continued to exert pressure on feed and day-old chick prices that were not matched by increases in consumer disposable incomes.

However, demand in the period under review remained strong largely due to greater increases in prices of alternative livestock proteins, primarily beef, pork and fish.

Broiler day-old chick production averaged 5,6 million chicks per month in the third quarter of 2019, 28% lower than the third quarter of 2018.

Chick prices continued to increase in the third quarter and reached $5,51 per chick in September.

However, in US dollar terms, the price of day-old chicks is still in the same range as during the third quarter of 2018, LMAC said, further stating that returns from large-scale processors revealed that the number of birds slaughtered and broiler meat produced declined 3% in the third quarter of 2019.

Although the meat produced from this sector declined 12% compared with the third quarter of 2018, it was still the second highest ever recorded.

Small-scale broiler meat production estimated at 5,457 tonnes (t) per month decreased 36% compared to the same period in the previous year.

Consequently, a dramatic drop in both uptake and supply of broiler chicks has affected the broiler meat production sector.

Total meat produced was estimated at 8,728t/month, 29% lower than that of the third quarter of 2018.

BY FIDELITY MHLANGA

Farmers of Zimbabwe’s top forex earner, tobacco, have called on authorities to pay them in hard currency when this year’s marketing season kicks off in the next few months.

The southern African nation rakes in at least US$1 billion annually from tobacco exports.

The golden leaf marketing season traditionally starts in March.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Shadreck Makombe said while the current wet spell had brought about new hope for a better season, farmers were, however, worried about payment modalities.

“You find that this year’s season is promising as the majority crop was rescued with the coming of the rains. Although it is too early to project the overall output, the quantity of this year’s crop may be low statistically and using the rule of the thumb. But the crop can be good and weigh even more if it happens to be better prime quality. But what’s key is that farmers (are paid) in US dollars, that is the clarion call to authorities,” Makombe said.

Government reintroduced the Zimdollar last June to end a decade flirtation with the multi-currency system.

Federation of Farmers Union chairman Wonder Chabikwa expressed similar concerns over the payment mode, saying they do not anticipate a repeat of last year’s chaotic marketing season.

He added that they needed hard currency to ensure viability.

“Farmers are worried about the mode of payment. They want to be paid in US dollars so that they also import certain equipment. Last year, most farmers were disappointed over the way they were paid. While we appreciate that government needs to retain a certain percentage of forex, we must know that farmers also need to get a component in US dollar,” Chabikwa said.

Unlike in previous seasons in which farmers made rich pickings after being paid in hard currency, the just-ended season saw the central bank paying farmers just 50% of their earnings per sale in foreign currency.

The rest was paid in local currency, which has, unfortunately, rapidly lost value against the greenback.

To access the foreign currency component, farmers were, however, asked to get it at a rate.

And due to a lack of transparency in the payment process, most farmers ended up not following up their mandated 50% US dollar earnings last year.

Worsening matters, when receiving the component of their earnings in the local currency, transaction delays occurred.

Data from the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board shows that as of December 20, hectarage under tobacco marginally grew by 2,8% to 81 977 hectares against 79 708 hectares planted same period last year.

A paltry 13 083 hectares was under irrigation with the rest relying on rain-fed water.

Moreso, the number of farmers who registered to grow tobacco tumbled 15% to 143 568 from 168 735 prior year.

In the past season, the golden leaf’s average price was very low at $2 per kg, down from $2,92 registered in the previous season at a time 2019 total output grew to 259 million kg from 253 million kg in 2018.

BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA

CHIREDZI will hold another by-election in less than two months, after the passing on of ward 16 councillor Emmanuel Nyathi on Sunday afternoon.

The last by-election was held in November last year following the resignation of Andrew Ndebele (Zanu PF), who was voted for in the July 2018 harmonised elections. Ndebele resigned in June last year due to poor health.

Zanu PF retained the Chiredzi South ward 12 council seat after Anold Rukanda defeated John Mazhata (MDC Alliance) in a by-election.

Chiredzi Rural District Council chairperson, Edward Matsilele, said Nyati died on his way to Collin Saunders Hospital in Triangle on Sunday.

“We have lost a dear friend, a brother and a father. As you know we held our last full council meeting while he was in Harare where he was seeking treatment.
As council, we would like to express our deepest condolences to the Nyathi family and the people of Ward 16,” Matsilele said.

Zanu PF Masvingo provincial spokesperson Ronald Ndava said the party had lost a great cadre.

“As a party, we feel we have lost one of our trustworthy councillors. During his time we never heard any cases of diverting of even a single grain of government inputs like some councillors do.

“We will be with his family in these trying times,” he said, adding that Nyathi will be buried today.

BY PATRICIA SIBANDA

THE increase in the number of stray donkeys and scotch-carts in Victoria Falls town has irked residents who have taken the local authority to task to deal with the domestic animals and their owners as they can cause traffic accidents.

Villagers from surrounding areas bring manure and firewood for sale in animal-drawn scotch-carts into the resort town and let their donkeys graze in the town.
Victoria Falls Residents Association chairperson, Morgan Gazza Ncube said they were seized with the matter.

“We have tried to ask them not to let loose their donkeys into town because accidents are bound to happen due to that,” he said.

Former Victoria Falls mayor Nkosilathi Jiyane said people from Monde, Sizinda and Chidobo brought manure in donkey-drawn carts in the resort town and council police should drive them away.

He said council should engage the owners of the animals and urge them not to let the donkeys loose.

A resident, who refused to be named, said: “As you know Victoria Falls is a resort area of which there are many tourists who visit the place. Roads are always congested, hence you will find that donkeys will be standing in the middle of the road. The animals are stubborn and it’s very hard to get them off the road, therefore, road accidents are likely to occur.”

Town clerk Ronnie Dube said he had not yet been approached over the issue.

BY SILAS NKALA

NINE Beitbridge villagers who were resettled at the Jompembi Farm in the district in February 2001 have filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court seeking the eviction of the owners of the wildlife conservancy run under Denlynian (PVT) Ltd and Trans Limpopo Carriers (PVT) Ltd companies.

Denlynain (Pvt) Ltd and Trans-Limpopo Carriers managing director Ian Ferguson runs the Denlynian and Tamari Wildlife conservation on sub-division lot 7A and remainder of Lot 8 Jompempi Block.

Ferguson bought the land 35 years ago and transformed it into a wildlife conservancy.

The Zanu PF-linked villagers, Milton Ndou, Mithiabo Sebata, Bigboy Ndlovu, Julius Mbedzi, John Maluleke, Percy Ndou, Rambelani Choeni, Ntshavheni Ndou and Joel Muleya filed summons saying Denlynian (PVT) Ltd and Trans Limpopo Carriers (PVT) Ltd were refusing to vacate the farm.

The villagers through their lawyers from Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers prayed that the respondents be ordered to pay costs of the suit.

The villagers submitted that on February 23, 2001, government acquired the land in terms of the Land Acquisition Act Chapter 20:10 and they were resettled on the farm on August 12, 2004.

They said despite being given notice in terms of section 8 of the Land Acquisition Act, the defendants and all those claiming occupation through them had failed, refused and neglected to vacate the properties and as such they were seeking their eviction.

However, on January 16, Denlynian (PVT) Ltd and Trans Limpopo Carriers (PVT) Ltd through their lawyer Kholwani Ngwenya of TJ Mabhikwa and Partners filed their notice of opposition to the summons at the same court.